Automatically opening frozen dough box and baking pan

ABSTRACT

A frozen yeast-containing developed dough fills a box-like folded box or receptacle made of a cardboard material. The receptacle is formed with two top opposing rectangular closure panels which together form the top wall of the receptacle. Integral side bottom, and end walls are also provided. When the mass of dough is permitted to thaw and rise, it presses upwardly against the top, rectangular closure panels to separate them and to effect automatic and gradual opening of the receptacle as baking proceeds. The top rectangular closure panels are each provided with an elongated scored line designed to be preliminarily manually folded inwardly to form elongated, outer hook panels. When the dough mass rises, it also catches under the hook panels and draws the opposing rectangular closure panels inwardly together at the same time as the closure panels are pressed upwardly. This inward drawing constituted a force which off-sets the tendency of the expanding mass of dough to force the receptacle side walls outwardly. As a result, numerous advantages accrue. For example, a lighter weight of cardboard material may be employed, both for economy and for providing a better shaped and more quickly baked loaf. Further, the inward drawing together of the receptacle side walls prevents those side walls from bowing outwardly and imparting an undesirable corresponding bow shape to the loaf side walls.

United States Patent [191 Bridgford AUTOMATICALLY OPENING FROZEN DOUGHBOX AND BAKING PAN- Inventor: Hugh H. Bridgford, 6600 Boulevard East,West New York, NJ. 07093 Filed: Feb. 3, 1971 Appl. No.: 112,331

Primary Examiner-Tim R. Miles Assistant Examiner-William L. MentlikAttorney-S. Stephen Baker [57] ABSTRACT A frozen yeast-containingdeveloped dough fills a box- THAwaNe ooueu like folded box or receptaclemade of a cardboard material. The receptacle is formed with two topopposing rectangular closure panels which together form the top wall ofthe receptacle. Integral side bottom, and end walls are also provided.When the mass of dough is permitted to thaw and rise, it pressesupwardly against the top, rectangular closure panels to separate themand to effect automatic and v gradual opening of the receptacle asbaking proceeds. The top rectangular closure panels are each providedwith an elongated scored line designed to be preliminarily manuallyfolded inwardly to form elongated, outer hook panels. When the doughmass rises, it also catches under the hook panels and draws the opposingrectangular closure panels inwardly together at the same time as theclosure panels are pressed upwardly. This inward drawing constituted aforce which off-sets the tendency of the expanding mass of dough toforce the receptacle side walls outwardly. As a result, numerousadvantages accrue. For example, a lighter weight of cardboard materialmay be employed, both for economy and for providing a better shaped andmore quickly baked loaf. Further, the inward drawing together of thereceptacle side walls prevents those side walls from bowing outwardlyand imparting an undesirable corresponding bow shape to the loaf sidewalls.

111- 7 Drawing Figures Patented May 22, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.HUGH H. BRIDGFORD ATTORNEY Patented May 22, 1973 3,734,149

2 Sheet et 2 20 lg c 20 l g; 1 ml 1 I INVENTOR. 8 BY HUGH B DAUTOMATICALLY OPENING FROZEN DOUGH BOX AND BAKING PAN BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION of a warmer environment and of ensuing yeast action in theprepared dough, and further wherein it may be baked so that thereceptacle serves the dough from its frozen storage state, to itseventual baking, all without removing the dough from the receptacleuntil it is ready to be cooled, or to be eaten.

Obviously, during thawing and baking, the rising and expanding bakingdough increases the mass of the dough so that the receptacle iscorrespondingly expanded and varied. Such variation in the shape of thereceptacle is necessarily transmitted to the shape of the baked loaf.Most often this is of disadvantage since the receptacle tends to bulgeand the loaf ends up with outwardly bowed, unaesthetic appearing sides.Other disadvantages also result as for example the texture of the bowedsides. Further, in order to avoid the above disadvantages, the art hasin the past been compelled to resort to heavier cardboard material so asto resist excessive side distortion. This has of course increased theexpense of the receptacle.

This invention provides a solution to the above disadvantages by furtheremploying the motive force of the rising and expanding dough toeffectively grasp and restrain the receptacle panels so as to discouragethe outward bowing of the sides as above described.

The invention set forth herein is an improvement upon my prior US. Pat.Nos. 3,502,488 issued Mar. 24th, 1970, and 3,507,668, issued Apr. 21,1970.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the presentinvention to provide an improved storage and baking receptacle of thenature above described. Basically a more compact, lighter weightcardboard material is made possible, while a better shaped final loaf isachieved, among other advantages. This is effected by inwardly foldinglongitudinal edge sections of the receptacle top closure panels beforethe dough is permitted to thaw and to rise. These edge sections thusprovide opposite narrow panels which serve as hooks. The rising doughnot only pushes upwardly on the underside of the top panels toautomatically open the receptacle during baking of the dough, but thehooked panels are caught or snagged by the mass of rising dough with theresult that the top panels are also drawn inwardly by the force of therising dough. This force is transmitted to the receptacle side walls soas to correspondingly draw them inwardly, thus off-setting theirtendency to bow outwardly in response to the expanding force of therising dough. The result of this action is to improve the shape as wellas the texture of the finished loaf.

Another object of this invention is to conserve expense by employing alighter weight of cardboard material than heretofore made necessary.This results from the fact that a heavier gauge of board was heretoforerequired to minimize side wall bowing, whereas this invention employsthe force of the expanding dough to pull upon and in effect fortify theside walls.

The above and other objects of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of thefully closed dough receptacle of this invention, the dough being frozenand accordingly compacted and the outer removable wrapper of thereceptacle being partly broken away;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the receptacle with the outer wrapperremoved and discarded, and the outer panel sections or flaps of the topclosure panels being shown folded inwardly, the receptacle then beingready to permit thawing and rising of the dough preparatory to bakingthereof in the receptacle;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view as taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but showing theintermediate thawing and rising of the dough and its co-action with thefolded hook-like panels;

FIG. 5 is a further cross-sectional view showing the dough furtherrising while still being somewhat engaged by the hook-like panels whichare however now being spread out and resting against the top edges ofthe dough. This is the baking condition;

FIG. 6 is the final cross-sectional view with the loaf completely baked;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the lay flat blank which is used to form thereceptacle, the inside thereof being shown.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawingswhich illustrate a preferred embodiment, the reference numeral 10generally designates the improved storage carton and baking receptaclewhich is formed from the unitary blank 11 shown in FIG. 7. Blank 11consists of a cardboard structure preferably coated along its entireinner surface with a layer of aluminum foil or the like to discouragesticking of the dough to such inner surface. The outer surface may becoated decorously as desired and conventional. The cardboard materialmay be of the conventional solid, bleached sulphate type having a weightof about pounds per ream while the aluminum foil layer has a thicknessof about 0.0003 inches and a weight of about 12% pounds per ream. Ofcourse, these figures are simply representative.

Referring to FIG. 7, the blank 11 comprises the rectangular bottom wallpanel 13, along the long edges of which extend integral side panels orwalls 14, while along the short edges of which extend integral endpanels or walls 16. Side walls 14 are delineated by scored, fold lines awhile end walls 16 are delineated by scored, fold lines b. Extendingfrom the outer edges of walls 14, and delineated therefrom by scored,fold lines 0, are opposite, rectangular closure panels 18, each having awidth about one-half that of bottom panel 13. Walls 14 are provided withhooked end tabs 20, and end walls 16 are formed with substantiallyL-shaped cuts 21 adapted to receive the hooks 20a of tabs 20 as will behereinafter described. It is only necessary to fold the panels or wallsas above described, and to insert the hooks 200 into the cuts 21 to formthe carton or receptacle from the blank 11. By doing so, side walls 14and end walls 16 become vertical, forming a box-like structure.

Extending from end walls 16, and delineated therefrom by scored, foldlines d, are rectangular top panels or end flaps 22 which overlie theoutside of closure panels 18 in the formed carton or receptacle as willbe hereinafter explained.

A most important aspect of this invention is the formation of the topclosure panels 18. These are formed or provided with longitudinalrectangular outer strip sections 23 delineated from the main width ofpanel 18 by scored, fold lines e. Strip sections 23 are about onethirdof the total width of each closure panel 18. As will be hereinafterdescribed, strip sections 23 are adapted to be folded along lines e soas to form hook-like, narrow, elongated edge panels positioned so as tobe grasped and pulled by the expansion of the thawing and rising doughat the same time that top closure panels 18 are pressed upwardly by theforce of the expanding dough. By virtue of this action, side walls 14are drawn inwardly, thus fortifying the receptacle against side wallbowing distortion such as would cause the finished loaf to haveundesirable and unappealing bowed or outwardly inclined sides.

In initially assembling the receptacle and realizing the advantages ofthis invention, the formed receptacle is filled to about the upper edgesof panels or walls 14 and 16 with a developed yeast dough in an unraisedcondition, that is in which the gluten in the dough has been developedto its optimum viable state by kneading in the known manner. Theyeast-containing dough may be of any conventional composition andprepared in any suitable manner, either by batch or continuous process.It may be a bread dough or a cake dough and may include any of the usualingredients and additives. The dough may be singly kneaded or may besuccessively kneaded with intervening rising periods but it is packagedin the receptacle 10 in its developed, unraised state.

The receptacle 10 is then closed by folding the panels or walls 18 to ahorizontal position where they enclose the mass of dough, while the endflaps 22 are swung and folded over the outside of panels 18 as shown inFIG. 1. End flaps 22 extend over about one-sixth of panels 18 on eachend thereof and may be locked if desired to the outside of panels 18which may be slitted to receive and thereby engage end flaps 22 so as tofacilitate overwrapping the closed package, which is the next and finalstep in the assembly.

The dough-containing closed package is promptly enclosed and overwrappedby any suitable outer wrapper 25, either a transparent or printed paperwrapper for example, and is deep frozen. The article is then storaged atconventional deep freeze temperatures which maintain deactivation of theyeast and prevents any deterioration of the dough.

In preparing to bake the dough product, the outer wrapper 25 is removed,end flaps 22 lifted somewhat to provide full access to top closurepanels 18, and such panels 18 also lifted to permit outer strip sections23 to be folded inwardly along scored lines e to form hooklike, narrow,elongated edge panels as illustrated in FIG. 2. At this time the frozendough containing receptacle is placed in an area of room temperature, orat a higher temperature to expedite the action if desired. If employingsuch higher temperature the package may be deposited, for example, in a150 F. oven for about 2 hours, under which conditions the yeast activityis almost maximum. If employing room temperature, the action will beslower. Thus, if the dough is permitted to thaw and rise in a somewhatwarm room, the dough will thaw and rise in a period of from 4 to 7 hoursor until it is about 1 inch above the side walls 14.

It is the presence of hook-like, elongated strip panels 23 which is thebasis of this invention. Thus, as the dough thaws, it rises or expandsin any available direction. As it rises, it presses upwardly against topclosure panels 18 so as to lift said panels upwardly at an angle asillustrated in FIG. 4. At the same time, the dough would tend to pushside walls 14 outwardly so as to bow them and produce a correspondinglybowed loaf. However, the action of the hook-like panels 23 prevent this.During thawing time the dough, as it expands, catches under the panels23 where it is snagged as shown in FIG. 4. As the dough continues toexpand, it grasps or engages and pulls the panels 23 inwardly towardeach other. Thus the motive forces of the expanding dough are employedto offset or neutralize the tendency of the side walls 14 to bowoutwardly and the dough has a most desirable uniform rising action. Thereceptacle is caused by the action of panels 23 to be effectivelystrengthened or fortified against distortion somewhat as if thereceptacle were to be fabricated of sturdy metal rather than ofrelatively softer cardboard. In any event, the cardboard may be oflighter weight than if such forces were not employed to preventdistortion of the package. Of course, expenses of the receptacle arethereby reduced and in fact, a better product is achieved in that thetexture of the baked bread is improved by thus confining its expansionduring baking.

When the dough D has risen to the desired volume or height as shown inFIG. 5, the panels 23 are spread somewhat and they rest at the angleshown against the top longitudinal edges of the dough D. At this time,the thawed dough containing receptacle 10, which now functions as abaking pan, is placed in an oven and the dough is then baked underconventional conditions, as, for example, for about 25 minutes at 375F., such conditions being suitable for a 1 pound loaf, other weights orsizes requiring different baking times or conditions as will be evidentto those skilled in the art.

FIG. 6 illustrates the completely baked loaf which may be considered tobe perfectly shaped, the restrictive action of the panels 23 havingaccomplished this result. The baked loaf is of course removed fro thereceptacle, cooled, and eaten.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention but it is obviousthat numerous changes and omissions may be made without departing fromits spirit.

What is claimed is:

1. A baking product preparation and storage article comprising a bakingreceptacle including a vertical peripheral wall, closure means movablebetween a position overlying and closing the top of the receptacle, andan open position projecting substantially upwardly of said peripheralwall, and a frozen, yeast-containing, unraised, developed dough in saidreceptacle when in closed position, said closure means comprising a pairof elongated top panels each hinged to respectively opposite sides ofsaid peripheral wall and each having substantially centrally disposedfree edges which are contiguous to each other prior to opening of saidreceptacle, and integral longitudinal edge sections on each of said toppanels and adapted to be folded inwardly prior to baking of said doughwithin said receptacle so as to form hook-like, narrow, elongated edgepanels positioned so as to be grasped and pulled by the expansion of thethawing and rising dough at the same time that said top panels arepressed upwardly by the expanding dough, whereby side sections of saidperipheral wall are drawn inwardly against the action of the sides ofthe expanding mass of dough.

2. The article of claim 1 and wherein said elongated edge panels arehingedly connected to the remainder of said top panels by a scored line,said contiguous free edges being the free edges of said elongated edgepanels.

3. The article of claim 2 and wherein the width of said elongated edgepanels is substantially one-half of the width of said remainder of saidtop panels.

4. The article of claim 3 and wherein said peripheral wall side sectionsare directly and hingedly connected to said top panels by a scored linewhereby said inwardly drawing force is transmitted to said side sectionsfor pulling them inwardly.

5. A baking product preparation comprising a baking receptacle includinga vertical peripheral wall, closure means overlying the top of thereceptacle, and a frozen, yeast-containing, unraised, developed dough insaid receptacle, said closure means comprising a pair of elongated toppanels each hinged to recpectively opposite sides of said peripheralwall and having free edges disposed substantially centrally of thereceptacle top, and hinged integral longitudinal edge sections on eachof said top panels and extending inwardly and downwardly from theremainder of said top panels so as to form hook-like narrow, elongatededge panels positioned so as to be grasped and pulled by the expansionof the thawing and rising dough at the same time that said top panelsare pressed upwardly by the expanding dough, whereby side sections ofsaid peripheral wall are drawn inwardly against the action of the sidesof the expanding mass of dough.

2. The aRticle of claim 1 and wherein said elongated edge panels arehingedly connected to the remainder of said top panels by a scored line,said contiguous free edges being the free edges of said elongated edgepanels.
 3. The article of claim 2 and wherein the width of saidelongated edge panels is substantially one-half of the width of saidremainder of said top panels.
 4. The article of claim 3 and wherein saidperipheral wall side sections are directly and hingedly connected tosaid top panels by a scored line whereby said inwardly drawing force istransmitted to said side sections for pulling them inwardly.
 5. A bakingproduct preparation comprising a baking receptacle including a verticalperipheral wall, closure means overlying the top of the receptacle, anda frozen, yeast-containing, unraised, developed dough in saidreceptacle, said closure means comprising a pair of elongated top panelseach hinged to recpectively opposite sides of said peripheral wall andhaving free edges disposed substantially centrally of the receptacletop, and hinged integral longitudinal edge sections on each of said toppanels and extending inwardly and downwardly from the remainder of saidtop panels so as to form hook-like narrow, elongated edge panelspositioned so as to be grasped and pulled by the expansion of thethawing and rising dough at the same time that said top panels arepressed upwardly by the expanding dough, whereby side sections of saidperipheral wall are drawn inwardly against the action of the sides ofthe expanding mass of dough.